Reactions
by percyismine
Summary: IMPORTANT UPDATE! Pride and Prejudice. Lydia has run away with Wickham and Darcy has just visited Elizabeth and learned the news. What if he wasn't able to control his emotions? Complete!
1. The News

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. They are all of Jane Austen's creation. I also do not own the first two paragraphs. Anything that is in quotes and italicsand sounds like it is from the book probably is.

Summary: We all know the scene where Elizabeth gets the news that Lydia has run away with Wickham and Mr. Darcy comes in. What would happen if he allowed his feelings control?

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_"' Oh where, where is my uncle?' cried Elizabeth, darting from her seat as she finished the letter, in eagerness to follow him, without losing a moment of the time so precious; but as she reached the door it was opened by a servant, and Mr. Darcy appeared. Her pale face and impetuous manner made him start, and before he could recover himself enough to speak, she, in whose mind every idea was superseded by Lydia's situation, hastily exclaimed 'I beg your pardon, but I must leave you. I must find Mr. Gardiner this moment, on business that cannot be delayed; I have not an instant to lose.'_

_'Good God! what is the matter?' cried he." _

"But first, you must sit down. You are not well enough to tell, let alone find your uncle." As he said this, Mr. Darcy gently took Elizabeth's elbow in his hand and proceeded to lead her to a chair. She, at first, resisted; but when she felt her legs tremble beneath her and a wave of dizziness pass over her, she complied. Satisfied that she would not do anything rash or run away, the gentleman called for a servant and ordered that Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner be found at once and brought to the inn. Shutting the door, Darcy turned and pulled a chair up to where Elizabeth was sitting and gently took her hand in his own.

"Would you like anything, Elizabeth?" he asked kindly. "A glass of wine or water? You look quite faint and pale."

"No... no... thank you... no..." she murmured. A tear coursed down her cheek and Darcy's heart swelled with the desire to take her in his arms and kiss her tears away. Instead he only reached out a hand and clasped her hand gently in both of his.

"Can you tell me what has distressed you? Is there ought that I can do to help?"

Elizabeth took a deep shuddering breath and shifted the papers in front of her. Darcy, his eyes drawn from her eyes that were swimming with tears to the movement, noted that they seemed to be letters of some sort. His theory was proved true as she began in a shaky voice,

"I have just received word from my sister, Jane, that Lydia has... she has..." Here, the tears spilled from her eyes and Darcy murmured soothing comments to her and massaged her hand until she was able to continue.

"Lydia has eloped with Wickham."

Elizabeth's voice broke as she uttered the word "eloped" and "Wickham" was drowned in her tears as she sobbed quietly. She put her head down on the nearby table and sobbed as Darcy looked on helplessly. His heart twisted in pain as he watched the woman he loved suffer so. He contorted his hands in his lap and made little noises that couldn't be interpreted until Lizzy had calmed down a bit. When she lifted her head from the table, he offered her his handkerchief to wipe her eyes, although he would have rather done it with his own hand... Still, one cannot have it all.

Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy sat in silence for a while, each digesting the news. Suddenly, the lady gave an exasperated cry and shot up from her chair, as the gentleman looked up in shock at this display. She walked around the room muttering to herself.

"If only I had revealed Wickham!" she cried. "If only I had been more persuasive to my father! If only I had watched her more! To think that I could have prevented this! I cannot bear to think on it!" Her pacing became faster and faster, her words more agitated as she wrung the poor handkerchief in her hands. Darcy watched with concern in his eyes. She was obviously distraught and her pale face still worried him. Realizing that she would work herself to a frenzy in this state, he got up and grabbed her by the arm as she strode by him. Pulling her to his chest, he whispered softly in her ear,

"Elizabeth, it wasn't only your fault. Do not stress yourself over what you could have done. I should have revealed Wickham after I discovered what he had tried to do"

"Bu-" the lady started.

"No buts," Darcy said firmly. "Look at me, Elizabeth"

She obeyed without a murmur, looking up into his face. Her eyes were still swimming with tears and her lower lip trembled slightly with suppressed emotion. Darcy couldn't bear to see her in pain any longer and her warmth and perfume had quite intoxicated him. Without thinking, he lowered his lips to hers in a gentle kiss. Elizabeth, surprised, stood there for a moment before responding. Her arms crept up around his neck as he tightened his hold upon her, deepening the kiss. Time passed as they lost themselves in each other. Pulling away, Darcy kissed Lizzy's eyelids gently and kissed away the tears on her face.

"I will take care of Wickham," he assured her, his voice slightly strangled from repressed passion. A sound in the entryway caused him to jump slightly before kissing her once more. Then, he pulled away, and, putting on his hat, strode out the door.

Elizabeth stood in the room, stunned; her fingertips pressed against her lips where she could still feel Darcy's pressure upon them. She heard him pay hasty respects to her aunt and uncle before the door shut behind him. Rushing to the window, she watched him mount his horse. As he wheeled his mount around, he bowed in his saddle slightly to her and gave her a comforting smile before galloping away. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner found Elizabeth standing in this position, staring into the empty street as they walked into the room. They didn't question her about her strange attitude or the look in Mr. Darcy's eyes. Instead, they simply began packing for the return trip home.

On his horse, Mr. Darcy fingered the handkerchief he had taken from Elizabeth as he had left. He could still smell her on it and it was still warm from where she had held it in her hands. He tucked it gently into his breast pocket so that it could lie next to his heart. Her response to him had given him hope that she had learned to love him. As soon as this unpleasant affair with Wickham was taken care of, he would return and bare his soul before her. Hopefully, he would receive the answer he dreamed of this time. And the woman he worshipped would consent to not only be queen of his heart, but queen of his house and home as well.

**

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Well, I hope all of you enjoyed my first Pride and Prejudice fic! Before, I've only done Scarlet Pimpernel, but this just came to me as I was reading the book. Please review and tell me what you think. This style of writing is slightly different from my usual, so let me know how I did. Click that little button that says Submit a Review, si'l te plait! Anything is welcome! Just no vulgar language, please!**

**If you liked this, look for more postings soon and read my other two fics in the meantime!**

**Au revoir!**


	2. Home Musings

**So, Reactions was originally going to be a one shot, but I got so many reviews asking me to continue, that I felt I had to. I went back to the book and looked at some of the scenes I often fill in with my mind and decided, Why not? So here it is!**

**Thank yous to reviewers are at the bottom if you are looking for yours.**

Disclaimer: As much as it breaks my heart, I do not own any of the characters, they are all Jane Austen's. Sorta selfish of her to own such a great guy like Darcy... jk .v

Elizabeth Bennett sat at her table and stared into the mirror. The days of frantic travel had taken their toll on her, and it was easy to see her fatigue. But she was not able to sleep, either from worry and anger over Lydia, or... something else she could not quite name. Critically, she examined herself in the mirror. Her eyes were duller and slightly puffy from crying and lack of sleep. There was also a red tint around the eyes that exaggerated the puffiness. It made her look slightly crazy, when she thought about it. Her eyes themselves were no longer bright and sparkling, shining with the vivacity Mr. Darcy had so often admired. Instead, they were dull and tired, shining dimly in the candlelight. It is often said that the eyes are the windows to the soul and mind. Indeed, it was true in Elizabeth's case as her soul was sad as well as tired. Her mind was also tired and was not processing information well.

_If Mr. Darcy suddenly entered this room and I forced to entertain him, I am sure he would be shocked at my present state. Why, I feel certain that I couldn't come up with one good remark or response to anything he might say!_ she thought wryly to herself. Strange how her mind drifted so fondly in his direction, dwelling upon his regal stature, his smooth (if sometimes proper and cool) voice, his curly hair, his expressive eyes, the way he moved about a room, his posture on a horse, his mannerisms, the strength of his arms, the feel of his lips upon hers...

_Enough,_ Elizabeth sternly told herself._ Stop being silly and sentimental. There is now a gulf between you and him. He may be perfect for you, but there is not one chance of a marriage between the two of you. There always was the difference is our classes, but now this scandal that must arise from Lydia's foolishness!_ Having called her mind back to the task at had, she turned her attention back to the mirror and moved down her face.

Beneath her eyes were bags and dark shadows that betrayed her lack of sleep. They gave her a sullen, brooding look that she hated. They seemed to mock her and warn her. She had always had a deep love of life and fun, even thought she didn't always show it and certainly didn't act as Lydia did. But now, it seemed as if the bags foreshadowed her future. She was doomed to become an old maid, doomed to stare sullenly at the world, embittered by her loss of the man she could have loved and any hopes for a happy future through Lydia's foolishness. But there! She refused to dwell on it, for there was still hope that Lydia and Wickham could be found and things put to rights.

Her face was slightly browned, but that was to be expected. After all, she had traveled in the summer and she always took a walk, rain or shine. Her face, seemed paler tonight, but that could also be attributed to the lighting. Elizabeth suddenly leaned in closer to her mirror and peered even closer at her reflection. Where those...? Elizabeth sighed. They were. She had slight wrinkles around her eyes. They were barely noticeable and her exhaustion accentuated them, but they were indeed there.

_What do you expect? _Elizabeth scolded herself. _After all, you are over twenty. Indeed you shall soon be considered old._

The lady sighed again. _I don't even have beauty, as Jane does, to forestall the signs of age._ Her mind, having touched upon her sister, continued along that path, for Elizabeth was also worried about her closest sister. Although Jane tried to hide it, she had been deeply hurt by the loss of Mr. Bingley and her spirits had never quite risen to their normal heights after he had left.

_Even Jane must be approaching the threshold, _she mused, shaking her head. In all likelihood, Mr. Bingley had probably been Jane's last chance._ Well, if things continue this way, we shall both be together either in spinsterhood or unhappy marriages._

Elizabeth's voice was bitter in her head. Pity for her and her sister's possible future selves welled up in her heart. Especially for Jane._ Jane does deserve better. I suppose I could be happy alone if I only knew that she was happy. She is so good and lovely; she deserves a happy future._

Elizabeth stood, trying to banish such dour thoughts from her mind by returning to the task she had started to take her mind off thinking. She turned in front of the mirror, studying her front, her profile, and as much as she could see of her back. Her figure was fine and well-toned from her frequent walks. Black hair (**okay guys, I don't remember her real hair color, so I'm just going with what I remember from the A&E version), **usually worn up, now hung loose in preparation for sleep. It flowed gracefully behind her, mimicking her movements as she walked about the room. Sans the hair, this was what Mr. Darcy had seen when she had walked around the room with Miss Bingley. Had he like what he had seen?

Finally tired, Elizabeth sat down on her bed, then reclined against the pillows. _Obviously,_ she answered herself, _he did like what he had seen. Otherwise, why would he have asked you to marry him?_

Turning onto her side, she berated herself for allowing her prejudices to stand in the way of properly knowing Mr. Darcy. Too late, she had seen his kindness and love. Too late she had been able to see past his mask into the caring brother and master he had hidden from the world. Now that she had taken time to truly know him, she realized that he embodied everything she had always admired. True, he had his faults, but so did she, so did everyone she knew. Faults could be corrected with love, patience, and time.

"But some mistakes can't," Elizabeth whispered to herself. And the second eldest Miss Bennett cried herself to sleep that night, longing for what she felt could never be.

**A bunch of thanks to all my reviewers!**

**Goof: You were my first reviewer! Thanks!**

**FlamezBlaze1: I'm glad you thought it was good. And I am continuing!**

**Sheyana: I hope you enjoy where it goes and I'm glad you liked it and wanted me to continue**

**Miss Mcweir: I want to read yours at some point. It probably gets popularity because we all want Darcy to do something more, but Jane Austen doesn't let him. It's sorta like the scene in which Darcy proposes to Elizabeth. What happens! I think everyone has their own version of what exactly happened. Still, you are right that it wouldn't be proper and Jane made sure she stayed with propriety.**

**Louise Lili: Glad you loved it. I agree that Darcy is a great guy. Right up there with Aragorn and Sir Percy from The Scarlet Pimpernel.**

**WhiteCamellia: Thanks! I'm glad you thought I did well.**

**Kyra3: Well, I'm glad you're liking it. Next chapter will fulfill your request!**

**Goldfish682: Yeah, I guess it was romantic, but hey! I have a split personality. I either need swords and action or I need romantic stuff. Thanks for the enthusiasm, as well. Nice to know that people really enjoy the stories.**

**Terriah: Okay, so this one wasn't about his uncontainable passion... BUT THE NEXT ONE IS! YAY! **

**Naedre: I know. The idea of Darcy being less cold really tingles my spine. Elizabeth is just too darn lucky. Darcy re-appears next! yay! **

**Any reviews that aren't here, I hadn't received at the time of writing this but I thank you anyways!**

**I know a lot of people asked for another one that is more in Darcy's frame of mind. It's coming up in the next chapter, don't worry! But this one came first chronologically, sooooo... yeah. It went first.**

**As always, review, review, review! I sound like a broken record... :P**


	3. Reflections

**Hey everyone! Here comes Chapter 3 of Reactions. I am glad everyone seems to like it so far. I have 19 reviews! Yay! But I wouldn't mind more... hint hint Thank yous to reviewers are at the bottom. This will be the norm from now on.**

**As promised Chapter 3 will have our favorite Mr. Darcy! Not to mention more of his uncontainable passion... heh-heh**

**I am not quite sure about the styles of the time period, but these are my favorite styles and they seem to work. Also, I will be making up my own description, partially based on Colin Firth.**

**Disclaimer: Last time I checked, I was a 15 year old girl who lived in a normal modern neighborhood and went swimming a lot, not a certain person from the 1800s even though our names start with the same letter.**

The dark-haired man strode firmly into the house. His butler hurried to assist his master by taking off the great coat and receiving the gloves, cane, and hat. Dark, curly haired appeared, under which green eyes gleamed with a hard light.

"I'll take dinner in my room, Hubert," he said shortly after nodding his thanks.

"Very good, sir. Did you find what you wanted?" Hubert asked. He was not insulted by his master's cold demeanor or his curt way of speaking. Master always had been a man of little words and the butler could tell that something had upset him to cause him to be even blunter.

"Yes..." came the response as the man turned to go up the stairs. "Yes I did. That'll be all. I'll be in my room, but I would like not to be disturbed unless absolutely necessary."

"Yes, sir."

Fitzwilliam Darcy sighed as he shed his coat and dropped into his chair by the window. It had been a hard day, but not an unrewarding one. For days he had tried to track down that cad Wickham, but had been unsuccessful. Finally, he had sent out people to attempt to locate a Mrs. York as well, whom he thought might just have the information he needed. Sure enough, she had known, although she wasn't harboring the two fugitives herself. It had taken a little persuasion and more than a little gold, but he had finally found out where his quarry was. And today, he had gone for a little visit, only to find Lydia and Wickham living in a squalid room in one of the bad parts of London. Debt notices were all over the table and underneath the wine bottles and glasses. The room itself was filthy, clearly cheap. Sitting at the table had been George Wickham while Lydia had been lying on the bed. Darcy went back in his memory to the few hours beforehand...

"_Darcy," Wickham sneered. "To what do we owe this pleasant surprise?"_

_Darcy first made the bow that society required, although neither of the other two people in the room got up and responded. "I have come on behalf of the Bennets for they are looking quite frantically for their daughter."_

_"Oh, really? Well, tell them that she is with me and is happy," Wickham replied, leaning back in his chair. Darcy eyed the two hands that were on the table. Neither of the ring fingers bore a gold band. Choosing to ignore the attitude he was receiving and the man who was giving it, he turned to Lydia. He bowed and noted the lack of a ring on her fingers as well. "Should I now call you 'Mrs. Wickham' or do you still remain 'Miss Bennet?'" he inquired._

_"Oh!" Lydia giggled. "I am still Miss Bennet, but I am to be Mrs. Wickham very soon! Isn't that so, darling?" She directed this last sentence at Wickham who was scowling from his seat. _

_Darcy turned sharply. "So you haven't married her yet?" His voice was cold and full of anger. Both of the men there knew that there was very little chance of Wickham marrying Lydia unless he got something out of it; she was just too silly to see it._

_The only response he received was a shrug. Darcy drew out his card carrier and pulled out his card. "I shall expect to see you tomorrow at two o'clock sharp, Wickham. Lydia should be fine on her own for a while. We have a few... items to discuss. You probably remember where I live, but if you have forgotten, here is my card. Good day." With that, he threw the card down onto the table, bowed, and was gone._

Opening his eyes, the gentleman brought himself back to the present. He slammed his fist down onto the arm of his chair in frustration. God, he hated Wickham and he hated himself! The cad was constantly trying to seduce innocent girls to further his own means. Didn't Darcy himself know from experience? But if he had only told what he had known instead of being so prideful, then none of this would have happened.

Still, he was slightly glad that it had, in a bad way. If this had never happened, could he have ever performed a service to his love? She wouldn't know that he had found Wickham, but that fact that he was doing it for her made the difficulties worth it. To take his mind off the unpleasantness of Wickham, Darcy went back to the days at Pemberly while Elizabeth was visiting...

He could see her now, playing the piano while Georgiana turned pages for her. She had not the skill of his younger sister had, but her hands had a fluid grace as they moved over the pianoforte and the soft light combined with her light gown caused her to have the appearance of an angel. And then she had smiled at him over Georgiana's head. Her smile had been soft, almost confidential and it had made his heart beat harder in his chest and hope rise within him. That night, he had been sleepless, tossing and turning in his bed, his love for Elizabeth burning in his breast. He had resolved that night to visit Elizabeth the next morning and hope that his advances would be well-received than last time.

But he had arrived only to find Elizabeth in tears. And his heart had clenched up in his chest and he had felt a longing to hold her to his heart and make everything right with the world because nothing was right when she was unhappy. But he had restrained himself, as hard as it was and as much as he longed to kiss away her tears and have her shed her tears on his breast instead of the table if they must be shed at all. Then, she had told him and anger had surged within him. Wickham had tried to ruin his life by attempting to take Georgiana. Then, he had made Elizabeth hate Darcy with his lies. Now, he was causing even more grief by ensuring that the Bennet girls would never have a chance at decent marriages.

"I should have killed him the day I found him with Georgiana," Darcy muttered under his breath. "I should have made sure he could never hurt those I loved ever again."

His mind continued to drift forward. He could remember thinking of how beautiful Elizabeth was in her distress. Beautiful, but in a painful way. And then, unable to resist her helplessness, he had done what he had been longing to do for so long. He had taken her in his arms and kissed her on that delicious mouth.

Darcy could almost feel Elizabeth in his arms as he relived the memory. She had smelled so good, her hair was so soft. He body seemed to fit right into his own as he pulled her close and claimed her mouth. She had been hesitant at first, but then she had responded and his heart had soared even higher. His body wanted to go further, but his mind remained a gentleman and forced him to back away and be content. But he wasn't.

Although the eyes remained closed, lost in the dream, the hand crept towards the breast and pulled out the handkerchief that resided there, just above his heart. Raising it to his nose, Darcy sniffed it and savored the smell that he knew was Elizabeth. What would it be like, he mused, to wake up next to her every day? What would it be like?

He could see them now, as a married couple, wandering Pemberly's grounds. He bent and picked a rose for her, and she laughed happily before putting it into her dark hair. They dined together and in the evening she played the pianoforte. Since they were husband and wife, they were no longer bound by the rules of society. Instead, he could show her his love in so many ways. He could kiss and caress her. Hold her hand and curl up next to her at night. He could almost see her in a lace nightgown, climbing into their bed...

His breeches suddenly felt tight. Darcy awakened from his dream and looked down. _Children would be nice_, he thought with a silly grin on his face. He had sometimes wondered what it would be like. To be able to be one with Elizabeth. Of course, he would only be the kindest and most considerate of lovers...

_Calm yourself, man!_ Darcy reprimanded himself as he got up to walk about the room. _You don't know if she loves you!_

_Her kiss certainly seemed to convey that_, one little naughty part of him said quietly.

Darcy once again had that foolish grin on his face. He had to concede that point. Still...

_Once this whole affair is finished, I shall go to visit her and see how she receives me,_ he decided. _Maybe her heart is more disposed towards me, but I must be sure. And even if she cannot love me, I shall endeavor to be a friend._

His mind made up, Fitzwilliam Darcy undressed for bed and lay down beneath the sheets. Imagining Elizabeth lying next to him, he drifted off into the land of dreams where he and his love could walk together side-by-side and know that each loved the other. A happy smile formed on his face and a word breathed through his lips.

"Elizabeth."

**Well, there you have it. Chapter 3! Although I don't know if my writing was quite up to scratch on this. I had a bit of writer's block and I never really got over it. Sorry, but that's what took so long. That and swimming just finished up so training was crazy, I was at photo camp, and Harry Potter 6 just came out! I'm so happy! I read it in less than 9 hours. But I won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't finished it yet.**

**A big hank you to the reviewers!**

**Kyra3: Your wish was my command!**

**Golfish682: I know, sorry. But I'm sorta on a romantic kick right now. Action will probably be my next story. I'm starting to need swords again. Thank you!**

**Terriah: Was this any good? I love thinking about Darcy being uncontainable in his passion. Gives me the shivers... You're not the only one feeling overcome**

**Naedre: It was going to be a one-shot, but the story just managed to continue. I'm glad you like Darcy as I wrote him**

**Severus-Fan: Sorry, I know it's been a while, but I tried**

**SarahKate8: I'm really really glad you like it. I think it's "intriguing" by the way.**

**Missmcweir: you know, those first two paragraphs gave me a bit of trouble, so you might be right. I don't know how much better this chapter is. I think I know partly why Jane didn't go too much into Darcy: it's HARD! I'm glad you liked the spinster idea. I was sorta working off that scene where Lizzy is staring in the mirror, so I'm glad you caught that insinuation. **

**Forgotten-kiss: Sorry, but I couldn't make your deadline. Glad you like it though and that it's worth waiting for when you come back!**

**Miss Finnegan: Here was Darcy Action! Glad you like it... A little secret... there might be more Darcy action in the next chapter...**

**Princess Persephone: the knight cometh soon! I think you're right that it's the black... I think Darcy would look good in shining armor... Glad you like the idea and I love the name by the way**

**Any reviews not here I haven't received at the time of writing, yada yada yada**

**I'm going to start working on Chapter 4 soon where Darcy shall make another appearance!**

**I remain your faithful servant**

**Percyismine**

**Please review!**


	4. Joyous Occurences

**Hello everyone! I can't believe we have already come to it: the final chapter of Reactions! sniffle I've had a lot of fun writing this and I hope you guys have had just as much fun reading it. If you have any suggestions about anything you think I should write in the future, I would be happy to receive them. Just put them in the reviews.**

**NOTE: In the last chapter I mentioned a Mrs. York as the person who told Darcy where to find Wickham. I WAS BLOODY WRONG AND SHOULD SUFFER HORRIBLE PUNISHMENT FOR HER NAME IS YOUNGE NOT YORK. For those of you who caught it, my thanks. Honestly, I don't know why the heck I wrote it. Oh well.**

**Okay guys, here we go!**

**Disclaimer: Nothing you haven't heard before. Nothing is mine; I just like to play around with it. We all know that all characters belong to the lovely Jane Austen.**

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The two men trotted down the road, side by side on their horses. Their moods matched the coloration of their horses exactly, one being white and the other black. The one riding the white horse was clearly in a state of excitement. He seemed to want to press forward even faster, no matter the risk of tiring their horses. His eyes gleamed happily and a broad grin kept stealing across his face. Every now and then, he would chat animatedly to his friend, expressing his hopes that the ride wouldn't be much longer and every mile put behind them seemed to only increase his happiness.

His friend on the other hand, wore a serious expression as he rode his black charger. His green eyes were curiously vacant and brooding; his attention was clearly not directed towards his friend as he only replied with grunts and silence to the other's excited chatter. Dark, curly hair threw shadows across his face and his chin sunk onto his breast as he rode along. Clearly, he was seeking inner counsel from himself.

Suddenly, the rider on the white charger gave a glad cry.

"Darcy!" he shouted, turning with a happy look to his friend.

"Hm?" the other grunted. Roused from his thoughts, he looked up and around him, noticing the house in the distance. His face changed slightly as he registered the structure.

"We're close!" the first said. "Come on!" With that, he spurred his horse into a gallop across the fields, unable to hold in his excitement.

A strange mix of apprehension and hope crossed Darcy's face before he too kicked his horse into a gallop.

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Inside the Bennet's house, there was a great stir when the gentlemen were sighted galloping towards Longbourn.

"Jane!" Mrs. Bennet called. "You must hurry and get ready for here is Mr. Bingley coming!"

"Why, he has someone with him, Mama!" Kitty cried. "Who can it be?"

"It doesn't matter, Kitty, come away from the window and help Jane dress," Mrs. Bennet called back. "She must be ready in time!"

But Elizabeth, already dressed and in the room reading when this announcement was made, started at the news. "Another rider?" she whispered to herself. "Could it be..."

Without even bothering to finish her though, Lizzy threw down her book and ran to the window. The horsemen were approaching at a full gallop and it was easy to recognize Mr. Bingley. Beside, on a black charger, did indeed ride another man. His curly hair blew in the wind created by the speed of the horses, and, as they drew nearer, he looked up.

Elizabeth gasped in shock. It _was_ Mr. Darcy! Flustered, she patted her hair and her dress. _Oh!_ she thought suddenly. _What if Lady Catherine has visited him and told him what I said?_

Again, she lifted the curtain and peered out the window. Now, she fancied she could see expressions on the faces of the riders. Bingley simply had ecstasy and happiness on his face at being so close to his fiancée. But Darcy's face was harder to read. He seemed to be bent on something and he rode crouched over his horse's neck. Hastily, Elizabeth dropped the curtain and sat down to await their arrival in a dignified manner, albeit an anxious one.

Darcy grinned to himself as he rode ever closer to Longbourn. He had seen the figure at the window and he had recognized that form and hair, even the face, although he was still some distance.

_Yes, I come. Elizabeth. _His mind whispered to her across the distance. _But how will you react to my arrival? I hope favorably, for my dear aunt has given me reason to hope..._

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If one had not experienced the excitement and hurry as everyone ran around the house making themselves presentable and preparing for the arrival of Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley, one would not believe that it had ever happened. For when the gentlemen were shown into the drawing room, all the women were busy embroidering, sewing, studying, or reading. Jane looked up with a smile on her face as Bingley entered the room and he went straight to her after the necessary bows were completed. Darcy simply stood on the side as was his custom and watched Elizabeth carefully. She was still standing, but would not meet his eyes. Instead, she examined the floor.

"My dear Mrs. Bennet," Bingley cried. "How good it is to be back! I was wondering if perhaps we could all go on a walk. I see the countryside is quite beautiful now and Darcy here hasn't had the chance to experience it yet."

"Oh, of course!" Mrs. Bennet agreed. "Gather your things, girls."

Within a few minutes, the party set out, minus Mary who had begged to be excused as she didn't feel very well. At first, everyone stayed together, but Mr. Bingley and Jane soon dropped to the back and fell behind as they wished to be alone. Heads together, they pretended not to notice the distance growing between them and the other three, although that was really their purpose. Soon, they were simply dots in the distance.

Elizabeth, Mr. Darcy, and Kitty walked on, the latter wishing to be free of the imposing Mr. Darcy's presence. Elizabeth was nervously quiet, unsure of what to say. Mr. Darcy simply wished to be rid of Kitty since there were certain subjects he wished to discuss with Miss Bennet that he felt could not be broached with her younger sister there.

As they came upon a road leading away from the path, Kitty suddenly looked up at her sister.

"Lizzy, could I perhaps visit Maria for a moment?" she asked, adding for good measure, "I long to see her and haven't in sooo long."

"Yes, yes, of course," Elizabeth replied in a distracted tone. "But I don't think we all need to visit. Give them my regards, Kitty."

With a nod, Kitty ran off down the lane, glad to be free of the imposing presence of Mr. Darcy. The said person simply heaved an inward sigh of relief. Finally, he had Elizabeth alone. But before he could say anything, Lizzy started to speak.

She spoke quickly and firmly. On behalf of her family, she thanked him for saving Lydia and their family from shame and humiliation. Darcy listened to all this with some slight impatience. He enjoyed hearing Elizabeth's voice, but he hadn't been thinking of her family when he had sought out Wickham. He had been thinking only of her and he quickly told her as such. Seizing his opportunity, he continued on,

"You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell so at once. _My_ affections and wishes are unchanged; but one word from you will silence me on this subject forever." **(A/N: that's a direct quote from the book)** _Now for the moment of truth,_ Darcy thought. _Has she come to care for me as my Aunt Catherine's recounting of her visit has made me believe?_

Elizabeth could only blush and look down for a moment. She had hoped to hear those words for so long. And now they had been spoken. Darcy _did_ still love her and he was giving her another chance at happiness. Still, hearing the words was a bit of a shock and it took her a few moments to catch her breath and collect her thoughts.

"Mr. Darcy," she said haltingly, still examining the ground. "Y-You cannot know what... joy those... words give... me."

But Darcy felt he could as he looked down at her, hope diffusing across and lighting his face. A great feeling of warmth was rising in his chest and he waited impatiently for her to go on.

"I know that last time, I... said that your... attentions were ... un-unwelcome. But... now I-I only feel the greatest joy... and I must confess that... that I have come to... love you." Elizabeth blurted out the last two words quickly, then looked up to witness the reaction of the man next to her.

Darcy could only look down with a broad grin across his face, eyes sparkling with love and joy. It felt as though his heart was going to blow out of his breast it was beating so hard. At that moment, with those two words hanging in the air between them, he felt that he could jump in the air and fly, so great was his joy. Catching his love's hands in his own, he longed to hear those words from her lips again.

"Are you serious, Elizabeth? You love me?" he questioned, feeling it too good to be true.

"Yes, I love you," she responded, more sure of her answer in the face of such happiness.

Ecstatic, Darcy kissed the hands that where clasped in his strong grip. He left off his ministrations for only a second to kneel down, not caring if the road was dirty.

"Elizabeth Bennet, I love you. Will you marry me?" he asked, not wanting to wait another second to make the lady he had sought for so long his.

"Yes," she whispered, her eyes sparkling with tears of happiness. "Yes, of course."

Springing off his knees, the man grabbed the woman tightly. "Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy," he whispered to her as he brought their faces close together. "I like the sound of that."

Without pausing for an answer, he closed the gap between them, bringing his lips to hers. He had hoped and waited so long for this moment. And now, she was his.

Elizabeth was slightly shocked when their lips touched, but it felt so right to be together like this, and she remembered their last kiss. She begrudged him nothing as his lips moved over hers and opened her mouth slightly as he deepened the kiss and held her closer. Her hands reached up and tangled themselves in his curls as they pressed together, losing themselves in the intensity of their kiss.

All too soon for both of them, they had to stop for air, although Darcy kissed her eyelids and cheeks, getting rid of the tears of happiness that rolled down her cheeks. When they pulled back slightly, Lizzy grinned impishly up at him.

"I like the sound of that too, my lord," she replied. She looked so adorable that Darcy simply had to kiss her again. She made no protest and responded eagerly, pressing up against him and caressing him.

But Darcy had to remain the gentleman and, even though she was now his and his body demanded more, he knew that they first had to announce their marriage to her family.

_Not to mention our wedding night must be perfect,_ he thought to himself. So he had to content himself with dropping a kiss on Elizabeth's nose as she pouted up at him. Suddenly, he let out a great laugh of joy and started spinning Elizabeth around and around in the middle of the road, not caring who saw or heard. She shrieked in delight at this new form of entertainment and flung her head back to view the spinning world.

Breathless, they were eventually forced to stop and Mr. Darcy looked with adoring eyes at Miss Bennet. _Soon to become Mrs. Darcy,_ he corrected himself in his head. Giving a small bow, he held out his arm to the flushed woman.

"Shall we walk on, my lady?" he asked lovingly.

"Certainly, my lord," she replied, taking his arm. She smiled up at him and Darcy felt a lump rise in his throat. This beautiful creature had just pledged her life and happiness to him. In that moment, Fitzwilliam Darcy swore to himself that he would deserve this woman. One would have to be blind not to see the love and trust that brightened her eyes and her face. He swore never to break that trust or that heart.

So they turned, walking along the road of life and love together; not caring where they were heading as long as they were together.

Finis

* * *

**sniffle It's done... **

**A big THANK YOU to all my reviewers! **

**Princess Persephone: the death raises eyebrows... I nearly cried, but I definitely think book 6 was really good... she has definitely moved to more mature subject matter though... I'm glad I made you happy that I updated **

**Severus-Fan: I hope your vacation was fun. Well, you just finished reading the next and last chapter. **

**Maria Teresa: See above rant for the Mrs. Younge/York mistake. I'm glad you really like this and Darcy makes me swoon no matter what the context.**

**BJ Hendy: here's more! I'm glad you think my story and writing are good.**

**Stargazer starluver: Glad you love it. I didn't update really soon, but I hope this wasn't too late either.**

**Kyra3: Thanks soooo much for reviewing On the Wings of Song, by the way. I'll agree with you that Harry Potter is definitely now geared for a more mature audience. Colin Firth is amazing... especially in a dressing gown.**

**Terriah: FOUR HOURS! Demon person! **

**Intoxicated by eriks music: Love the name... Thanks.**

**thesupernugget: glad you like it... won't comment on updating quickly, though**

**WhiteCamellia: I hope you liked this next part.**

**Magewhisperer: glad you think it's sweet. I was trying to go for a softer attitude and stuff, so I guess I succeeded**

**Quantuminferno: Darcy is wonderful and I'm glad you love it**

**Lucy: Glad you like it. Darcy indeed knows what he wants.**

**Kiss-of-cuteness: I'm glad you love it. It is really an honor to be told that this is like what Jane forgot to publish.**

**Crazycar60: okay, it is sappy, but I am on a romantic kick; I think my next project will be p&p again, but this time... Darcy will have a sword! violent side begins to show through**

**Annecordelia: what can I say? glad you love it though... Jane had to keep with the times. I'm glad you like my writing**

**So now it is finished. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I have. For those of you who read or saw Sense and Sensibility, can you please R&R my story about Colonel Brandon?**

'**Til next time then!**

**I remain, as always, your humble servant**

**Percyismine**


	5. IMPORTANT UPDATE!

**Hello everyone! **

**So, after much deliberation, proddings from many of you, and multiple bashings of my head by whatever creature has decided to inhabit my brain _WHACK! _**_OW! What was that for? **Get on with it! WHACK! **OW! OKAY!_

**Anyways, I have decided that I shall continue this story!**

**As a sequel. **

**So look for my new story, Repercussions !**

**And since you were kind enough to read my ramblings, I shall favor you with a preview of the first chapter!**

**(I'm in an exclamation point mood today. Usually I don't use this many of them. This is totally bizarre. I think the strange creature has given me brain damage or something by his bashings)**

**Disclaimer: Not mine. Never mine. But it's nice to dream.**

* * *

A young woman stood on a hilltop, overlooking fields and greenery. A gentle breeze rustled the curls that hung about her face and at the same time brought color to her cheeks and an added sparkle to her eyes. She rotated slowly, taking in all the land around her, a bonnet swinging from her hand. A dot of motion caught her eye, and she turned to regard it more closely. Softly, a happy smile stole across her features as recognition appeared in her eyes. She began her descent down the hill towards the dot, which had become distinguishable as a man, all the while schooling her features into indifference.

After a few minutes of brisk walking, for she was an excellent walker, the two met on the pathway. The woman made the first move, looking up in feigned startlement.

"Mr. Darcy!"

* * *

**And there you are folks! Stay tuned for more!**

**Oh, and if any of you care, I haven't abandoned Darcy vs. Wickham. But I think some of my block will go away if I get this baby out before it explodes out of me.**


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